Apparatus for colorimetric gas investigation



Nov. 29, 1949 J. D. MAIN-SMITH ETAL 2,489,554

APPARATUS FOR COLORIMETRIC GAS INVESTIGATION 2 She'ets-Sheet 1 Filed May 8, 1945 Awe/m apt/4AM.

Arney I .Nov. 29,1949 J. D. MAIN-SMITH ET AL 2,489,654

APPARATUS FOR COLORIMETRIG GAS INVESTIGATION Filed May 8, 1945 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.2.

Attorney Patented Nov. 29, 1949 APPARATUS FOR -COLORI METRIG GAS INVESTIGATION- John David Main-Smith, SidneyArth-ur Do'dd; J ames. Sim, HerbertiAnson Lyon, George Henry Hillier, and GeorgezAlanEdrwicker, Farnbor- .ough, England, assignorsato the Minister of- Supply in His Majestys Government of the United Kingdom ofGreat Britain and Northern Ireland, London, England Application. May"8,. 1945,ESc!:ial-. No. 592,632 In. Great Britain February 21, 1945 7 Claims. 1

The invention relates to apparatus for colorimetric. gas investigation. (including both qualitatiye. and quantitative investigation) and more particularly to the type of apparatus in which asample of the gas under investigation is passed through a tube (hereinafter termed a detector tube)- enclosing material which undergoes colour change when brought into contact with the in gredient to-be detected or to be estimated quantitatively.

In accordance With the invention, such apparatus comprises gas induction means connected to the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus through alternative gas flow channels each adapted for interposition therein of a detachable detector tube, and selector valve means on the atmospheric side of said detector tubes whereby all. said. flow channels may be shut ofi" from the atmosphere or any selected flow channel may be: caused to communicate therewith.

The. apparatus may conveniently comprise two manifolds each having two-or more branches extending towards corresponding branches on the other manifold, each of said branches terminat ing inan element adapted to locate one end of. a, detector tube, one of said manifolds being. connected to the gas induction means and the; other being open to the atmosphere and asso-= ciatedwith a selector valve.

The apparatus according tothe invention may conveniently be made in a seli-contained portable form. in which the gas-induction. means, maniffolds and detector tubes are located inside .a casing which. may conveniently be. provided with. straps to secure it to the body of the user, so thatv it may be used for example for investigating the atmosphere at difierent points in the interior of. vehicles or aircraft by a member of the crew leaving hishands free.

'When the apparatus is to be employed for quantitative investigations, the gas induction-z meansmust be arranged to draw substantially the same volume of gas through the apparatus 'at: each actuation; asimple and convenient form of gasdnduction means is a rubber bulb, which may be-compressed by a pad operated by a lever extending outside the casing and having an end st'opto limit positively the movement thereof.

A portable apparatus, suitable for both qualitative and quantitative investigations is illustrated byway of example in the accompanyingdrawing, in which. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparat'us with a part of the casing brokenaway to show. thevinternal' parts,. Fig ..2 is, asectional plarn showing one gas flow channel and Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the selector valve.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus comprises, as shown in. Fig. l, a casing to closedby..-a. top plate M and having curved brackets l2 strapsv 13 whereby the apparatus may, for area ample, be strapped to the. leg of the pilot of aircrait- A hinged lid I4 is provided on thefront of the casing. whereby iourxdetectorv tubes. l5may be inserted in position and changed afteruse. Fig. 1 shows two detector tubes in position. and tworemoved. The detector tubes each.com:- prise acylindrical tube drawn out at one end into. a. nozzle, and enclosing: a. colorimetric indicator" material It such for example.- as a material for. detecting carbon monoxide comprising palladous sulphite or a complex-salt or mixture containingtheqpalladous and sulphite radicals, and which: may advantageously be covered with acolum-nll of an absorbent materialsuehas silica gel to pro.-- tect. the detecting substance from disturbing efiects of other impurities, such as hydrocarbon: vapours which may be contained in the atmosz phere under investigation.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, the casing corn tainsarubber bulb. IBheId-therein by a. clamp l8, andiarranged: to be compressed by a. pad car ried: by one arm ofa pivoted spring biassedilever passing through the casing. I0 and terminating in? aiha-ndle-2 8 whose movement to compress'the bulb: his limited by a stop 22'. Sealed into" theneck of the bulb I8 is a tube 23' with a transverseportiucovered by a rubber sleeve The port 24: and sleeve 25 constitute a one-way valve of a simple? type; since when the bulb I8 is compressed.- by-- actuating the lever 2I-, the sleeve 25: will stretch;

andv allow air to be expelled through. the port; while when the pressure. is released onthe bulb; I8; the sleeve 25 will tighten and preventringresa of air. through the-port 24. Connected to the tubes 23-is a duct leading to a manifold 26- and composed. of. sections 2-'!, '28, 29, 30 connected by rubben sleeves 31:. The sectionsl'l and 30 arexordinary: thin walled glass or metal tubes. Section 2'8-is.:.a-

thick walled capillary tube which may be of glass:

or metal, and which controls toa. suitably low rate: the flow of air into the bulb 18- when the handle 2l-isreleased after the bulb has been compressedf... The-section 2'9is a tubular housing containing-fileter'material such as cotton, wool or other'cellulose: or. other fibre. The manifold branches each comprising a flexible tube 32 lo catedwithin a telescopic-housing 33' which ter+ minates in a rubber spigot. 34" and which: is urged Hate its extended position by a coiled compression 26 has four to receive and locate the nozzle end of a detector tube I5, the other end of which is located by the spigot 34.

Each socket 36 forms 'an element terminating a branch of a manifold located in a housing 31, and which communicates with the atmospherethrough a selector valve and an inlet tube 38 extending through the casing III.

The housing 3! with its associated manifold; and selector valve is shown in longitudinal section in Fig. 3 and in cross section in Fig. 2. The

housing 31 is bored to receive a rotatable spindle 39 which has a clearance fit in the bore, so that the annular passage between the spindle 39 and the bore constitutes a manifold. A transverse 1. Apparatus for colorimetric gas investigation comprising means forming a plurality of gas flow channels normally cut oif from communication with the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus, each of said channels including a removable detector tube, gas induction means connected to said channels for producing therethrough a unidirectional flow of gas from the atmosphere when said channels are open to the atmosphere, and means for selectively cOIltIOllitlg communication between said channels and the atmosphere inpassage 40 provides communication between the bore containing spindle 39 and the atmospheric inlet tube 38. Four transverse ports 4| are provided on the opposite side of the spindle 39 and form branches terminating in the sockets 36. Each port 4! has an enlarged mouth near its junction with the bore of the housing 31 and; contains a 'ball 12 backed by a compression spring 43 The spindle 39 is rotatable by a knob 44 and" has four recesses 45 cut in it so disposed that by' rotation of the spindle any one of the balls 42 may be brought opposite a recess and be moved by its spring 43 to open the mouth of the corresponding port 4!, or all the ball 42 may be held by the spindle against their springs 43 closing the mouths of the corresponding ports 4|. 44 is engraved to denote the position of the valve which it controls and the top plate I l is provided with a corresponding datum mark indicated by an arrow in Fig. 1. It will be observed that in Fig. 3 it is the second port 4! from the top which is open, while in Fig. 2 the section has been taken through the port which is open.

In operation of the apparatus, the detector tubes are first inserted and the selector valve rotated to select an appropriate gas flow channel. The handle 2| is next operated until it makes contact with the limit stop 22, air exhausting from the bulb l8 through the port 24. When the handle 2! is released it returns under its spring bias and the bulb recovers, drawing gas from the atmosphere through the selected gas flow channel including the interposed detector tube l 5, therate of gas flow being suitably controlled by the capillary tube 28.

5 The presence in the atmosphere of the ingre-f dient to be detected e. g. carbon monoxide, is indicated by colour change in thefilling I 6 of the detector tubes, and the content of such ingredient is estimated by measurement of the length of the column over which such colour change has occurred. For convenience in observing the tubes a background plate 46 may be provided as shown inFig. 2: such background plate is not shown in Fig. 1. In the use of the apparatus it is often convenient to join to the tube 38 a small bored extension tube so that the atmosphere may be tested at several points without necessitating the operator changing his position.

j It :will be appreciated that the apparatus enlables several investigations to be made successfully without adjustment of parts other than the selector valve and that the positioning of the selector valve on the atmospheric side of the detector tubes protects the detector tubes against ingress of the surrounding gases except when a tube has been selected for use.

We claim:

The knob" eluding a valve housing having a plurality of ports each connected to one of said channels and a connection to the atmosphere, a plurality of valves in said housing each controlling communication between one of said ports and the atmospheric connection, and a single selector member controlling the positions of all of said valves, said member being movable to various positions and so constructed and arranged that in each position it either maintains all of said valves in closed position or selectively opens one of said valves to connect its associated port and channel to the atmosphere.

- 2. Apparatus for colorimetric gas investigation comprising means forming a plurality of gas flowchannels normally cut off from communication with the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus,

including a removable detector tube in each channel, a valve housing having ports communicating with said channels, a connection to the atmosphere and valves controlling communication between said ports and the atmospheric connection, a manifold having a plurality of branches each connected to one of said channels, said detector,

tubes being located between said valve housingand said manifold, gas induction means connected to said manifold for producing a unidirectional flow of gas from the atmosphere through said channels when the channels are open to the atmosphere, and means for selectively controlling communication between said channels and the atmosphere including a single selector member associated with said valve housing controlling the positions, of all of said valves, said member being movable to various positions and so constructed and arranged that in each position it either maintains all of said valves in closed position or selectively opens one of said valves to permit the flow of gas through its associated port and channel.

' 3. Apparatus for colorimetric gas investigation comprising means forming a plurality of gas flow channels normally cut off from communication with the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus, including a removable detector tube in each channel, gas induction means connected to said channels for producing therethrough a unidirectional flow of gas from the atmosphere when said channels are open to the atmosphere, a valve housing having a bore connected to the atmosphere and a plurality of ports each communicating with said bore and with one of said channels, a plurality of valves in said housing controlling communication between said ports and the bore, and a single selector member controlling the positions of all of said valves including a rotatable spindle ex tendin' into said bore, and means on said spindle at diiferent portions of its periphery for either.

maintaining all of said valves in closed position or selectively opening one valve at a time to perchannels normally cut ofi from communication with the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus, including a removable detector tube in each channel, a valve housing having a plurality of valves each controlling communication between one of said channels and a connection to the atmosphere, a manifold having a plurality of branches each connected to one of said channels, said detector tubes being positioned between said valve housing and said manifold, gas induction means connected to said manifold for producing a unidirectional flow of gas from the atmosphere through said channels when said channels are open to the atmosphere, and a single selector member comprising a rotatable spindle extending into said housing and having means thereon for selectively controlling the positions of said valves.

5. Apparatus for colorimetric gas investigation comprising means forming a plurality of gas flow channels normally cut off from communication with the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus, including a removable detector tube in each channel, gas induction means connected to said channels for producing therethrough a unidirectional flow of gas from the atmosphere when said channels are open to the atmosphere, a valve housing having a connection to the atmosphere and a plurality of valves each controlling communication between one of said channels and the atmospheric connection, means on said housing adapted to receive one end of each of said detector tubes, a manifold connected to said gas induction means, a flexible element supported by said manifold and adapted to receive the other end of each of said detector tubes, and a rotatable spindle extending into said housing and having means thereon for selectively controlling the positions of said valves.

6. In an apparatus for colorimetric gas investigation of the type embodying a plurality of gas flow channels each adapted to include a removable detector tube and normally cut oil from comsingle selector member controlling the positions of all the said valves, said member being movable to various positions and so constructed and arranged that in each position it either maintains all of said valves in closed position or selectively opens one of said valves to connect its associated port and channel to the atmosphere.

'7. In an apparatus for colorimetric gas investigation of the type embodying a plurality of gas flow channels each adapted to include a removable detector tube and normally cut 011 from communication with the atmosphere surrounding the apparatus, the combination of gas induction means connected to said channels for producing therethrough a unidirectional flow of gas from the atmosphere when said channels are open to the atmosphere, a valve housing having a bore connected to the atmosphere and a plurality of ports each communcating with said bore and with one of said channels, a plurality of valves in said housing controlling communication between said ports and the bore, and a single selector member controlling the positions of all of said valves including a rotatable spindle extending into said bore, and means on said spindle at different portions of its periphery for either maintaining all of said valves in closed position or selectively opening one valve at a time to permit the fiow of gas through its associated port and channel.

JOHN DAVID MAIN-SMITH. SIDNEY ARTHUR DODD. JAMES SIM.

HERBERT ANSON LYON. GEORGE HENRY HILLIER. GEORGE ALAN EARWICKER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 605,991 Bleier June 21, 1898 1,448,901 Moreland Mar. 20, 1923 2,018,441 Edelmann Oct. 22, 1935 2,147,607 McMillan et a1. Feb. 14, 1939 2,234,499 McAllister Mar. 11, 1941 2,333,934 Jacobson Nov. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 433,979 Great Britain Aug. 23, 1935 522,942 Great Britain July 2, 1940 

